Portsmouth should look to Leeds United in January after Colby Bishop scare: View | OneFootball

No longer dominating at the top of the League One table, Portsmouth have issues to contend with in the final month of 2023.

Pompey were coasting along under head coach John Mousinho in the first few months of the campaign and they have still only lost once in league action, but last weekend's 4-0 hammering at home to Blackpool was a painful one, and it saw Bolton Wanderers climb above them in the table.

And what could be an even bigger issue along with Ian Evatt's side usurping them at the top of the division is a potentially serious injury to talisman Colby Bishop, who has been the south coast club's leading light since his arrival from Accrington Stanley in 2022.

A scorer of 20 League One goals last season, Bishop has been in similarly prolific form during the current campaign, hitting the back of the net 11 times in just 18 appearances, with the latest coming in midweek against Burton Albion.

Bishop hobbled off at half-time though against the Brewers with an ankle injury, and he was seen in a protective boot and crutches after the full-time whistle, which is obviously something to be worried about for Pompey fans.

Mousinho has been unable to confirm a diagnosis just yet after Bishop had a scan, but Portsmouth may need to prepare to be without their star striker for a number of weeks and potentially months if the damage is serious, and it will surely lead to them entering the January transfer window with the need for a new attacking player.

And they could make a move for a current Leeds United player who is finding himself on the sidelines in the form of Joe Gelhardt, who needs game-time and could find it at Fratton Park.

Why is Joe Gelhardt getting no Leeds United gametime?

Gelhardt himself is actually out injured currently with a knock to his hip, but even before that he was not getting a look-in under Daniel Farke at Elland Road.

The forward arrived at Leeds in 2020 from Wigan Athletic with a fledging reputation, and in the 2021-22 season in the Premier League he made a number of Premier League appearances that showed he could have a big future, whilst also scoring twice in that time.

In need of regular game-time though in 2022-23, Gelhardt headed to Sunderland of the Championship, where he led the line for the second half of the campaign and scored just the three times in 20 appearances.

Returning to Leeds in the summer, Gelhardt started in two of their first three league matches of the season, but since a brief cameo against Millwall in the middle of September, the 21-year-old has not been seen.

An unused substitute for a number of weeks due to the comeback of Patrick Bamford, Gelhardt then fractured his hand which sidelined him for a few weeks, but even if he was fit it would be unlikely that he'd see any game-time, whether that was up-front or in the number 10 role.

Therefore, it wouldn't be a shock to see Leeds facilitate yet another loan move for the young forward, but would they let him move to League One as opposed to another Championship side?

Is Joe Gelhardt a realistic signing for Portsmouth?

Leeds would be in somewhat of a catch 22 situation regarding Gelhardt as there will be plenty of Championship clubs keen on the striker for the second half of 2023-24.

Gelhardt of course would not be allowed to play against Leeds should that happen, but sending him to a team lower down in the table where he'd get game-time and potentially help to take points off some of their promotion rivals could be a real benefit.

The other option is to send him to a promotion-chasing League One club like Portsmouth, who could need an extra body in attack if Bishop is injured and the feeling of being in a side that is being successful could also help Gelhardt.

Considering he scored just the three times for Sunderland in half a season, a drop to the third tier could bring back some confidence in-front of goal for the Leeds man, so it's a deal that is worth considering for all parties.